Again, I am not a lawyer, but no, you can’t do that kind of thing. That kind of stuff is illegal pretty much everywhere, as far as I know.
And in Florida:
Section 83.67, F.S.
Florida Law does not allow a landlord to force a tenant out by:
• Shutting off the utilities or interrupting service, even if that service is under the control of or the landlord makes payment;
• Changing the locks or using a device that denies the tenant access;
• Removing the outside doors, locks, roof, walls or windows (except for purposes of maintenance, repair or replacement); and/or
• Removing the tenant’s personal property from the dwelling unless action is taken after surrender, abandonment, recovery of possession of the dwelling unit due to the death of the last remaining tenant in accordance with section 83.59(3)(d), or lawful eviction.
If any of these occur, the tenant may sue for actual and consequential damages or three months’ rent, whichever is greater, plus court costs and attorney’s fees.
From this summary of Florida landlord tenant law.
Shady is shady, illegal is illegal and illegal is very possibly going to land you in whole lot more trouble than merely having to share an apartment with people you no longer want to share it with.
I don’t think I have anything more to offer you. I’ve already possibly given you bad information, I don’t know, because… yup, I’m still not a lawyer. Sorry. Maybe one of the attorneys on fluther will pop in to help you and right any of the information I have given you, if it is incorrect.